On Tue, 2006-07-11 at 21:36 -0400, Sam Varshavchik wrote: > Norm writes: > > > Is there an application for Linux comparable in its function to the > > Microsoft Operations Manager and Systems Management Server combination > > from Micro$. I am away that a combination of cron files and scripts > > could do at least much of the same work but to set up such a system in > > this case will take more time and effort than on going on site > > maintenance on each PC. > > Maybe if you would actually provide a capsule summary of what that product > actually does, you might get some useful pointers. > > > > -- > fedora-list mailing list > fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx > To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list As an old hand of SMS up through 2.0, I can offer some highlights. The comprehensive list of SMS' capabilities is long and this is but a quick summary of what springs most readily to mind. 1.) Remote control of Windows clients and server desktops 2.) SNMP monitoring of administrator-defined traps conditions, with alerting to pager, SQL database, user-written script actions, et al. 3.) The ability to generate, via Microsoft Installer (actually written by Wise), complete application packages with fully customized settings appropriate to your enterprise' needs, ready to be pushed out to desktops and servers on an individual or group basis, either immediately or on a schedule. The groups may be as amalgamated together by domain, IP ranges, or any number of other criteria 4.) The ability to query machines for installed software, hardware, BIOS versions, software versions, etc. (thousands of things) with results written to a SQL database which may then be subjected to reportage with the included high-end reporting tool 5.) The ability to remotely shadow user sessions and thus, troubleshoot application/user problems on the fly without having to journey to the desktop 6.) The ability to aggregate SMS sites across geographical distance, specifying the nature of connectedness appropriate to the bandwidth available between the master and remote sites, and manage those remote sites from a central location using either local or distributed SQL databases, as appropriate. Such sites can span tens of thousands of machines, on various continents, number in the hundreds, and employ a variety of physical connection types up the chain back to the master site and behave appropriately, given available bandwidth. SMS does far more than the things I have briefly listed above. Beginning in September, 1999, I was able, single-handedly but using SMS 2.0, to bring the more than 500 desktops in our enterprise up to certified Y2k compliance with zero support from the desktop group. This is no mean feat: I calculated that the man-hours that would have been required to accomplish this same task numbered in the several thousands. SMS is the one Microsoft product with which I truly enjoyed working. Hope this helps answer your question. Brad Alpert MCSE (x 2), Master ASE, CCA Total Linux Convert Consulting Engineer - Open Source/Solaris Results Technology Lenexa, KS
